Prize funds increase as 2019 LPGA Tour schedule is announced
Prize money for the 2019 LPGA Tour schedule will increase by more than $5 million as the tour, under the commissioner Mike Whan, continues to strengthen.
The US Women’s Open and CME Group Tour Championship will be the biggest tournaments of the season, with each possessing a total prize fund of at least $5m.
And four brand new tournaments have been confirmed, as the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational becomes the first official team competition in the LPGA’s history.
The season will kick off with two inaugural events: the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Florida before the players head to Australia for the recently-announced Vic Open and then the Australian Open.
The ANA Inspiration continues to hold its spot as the opening major of the year in the first week of April, but, as expected, the Evian Championship moves back to July from September as the players battle it out for major titles in back-to-back weeks, as Woburn hosts the final major of the year – the AIG Women’s British Open – the week after.
The tour then heads to Scotland for the Scottish Open before Europe and the USA’s best return to the home of golf a month later for the Solheim Cup from September 13-15 at Gleneagles.
The BMW Ladies Championship will be the tour’s new stop in Korea following the discontinuation of the KEB Hana Bank Championship, and following the Asia swing, the players return to Florida to conclude the season at the CME Group Tour Championship.
“We are in one of the most exciting periods of time in LPGA history,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “One look at our 2018 season shows the breadth of global talent on our Tour, and I have no doubt that 2019 will continue this upward trend.
“LPGA purses have steadily increased over the last decade, a sign of the growing support from our corporate partners and sponsors for the game of women’s golf.
“Across the board, our title sponsors understand the value that working with LPGA players brings to their businesses and we look forward to continuing to develop larger purses for the generations of players to come.”
2019 LPGA Tour schedule
(Major championships in bold; Prize purse in brackets)
January 17-20: Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions ($1.2m)
February 7-10: Vic Open ($1.1m)
February 14-17: ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open ($1.3m)
February 21-24: Honda LPGA Thailand ($1.6m)
February 28-March 1: HSBC Women’s World Championship ($1.5m)
March 21-24 Bank of Hope Founders Cup ($1.5m)
March 28-31: Kia Classic ($1.8m)
April 4-7 ANA Inspiration ($3m)
April 17-20: Lotte Championship ($2m)
April 25-28: Hugel-Air Premia LA Open ($1.5m)
May 2-5: LPGA Mediheal Championship ($1.8m)
May 23-26: Pure Silk Championship ($1.3m)
May 30-June 2: US Women’s Open Championship ($5m)
June 7-9: ShopRite LPGA Classic ($1.75m)
June 13-16: Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give ($2m)
June 20-23: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship ($3.85m)
June 28-30: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship ($2m)
July 4-7: Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic ($2m)
July 11-14: Marathon Classic presented by Dana ($1.75m)
July 17-20: Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational ($2m)
July 25-28: The Evian Championship ($4.1m)
August 1-4: AIG Women’s British Open ($3.25m)
August 8-11: Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open ($1.5m)
August 22-25: CP Women’s Open($2.25m)
August 29-September 1: Cambia Portland Classic ($1.3m)
September 12-15: Solheim Cup
September 26-29: Indy Women in Tech Championship ($2m)
October 3-6: Volunteers of America Classic ($1.3m)
October 17-20: Buick LPGA Shanghai ($2.1m)
October 24-27: BMW Ladies Championship ($2m)
October 31-November 3: Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship ($2.2m)
November 8-10: Toto Japan Classic ($1.5m)
November 13-16: TBD ($2.1m)
November 21-24: CME Group Tour Championship ($5m)
More from LG
